


Whispers of the False Gods

by Dragonstep



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Ancient Elves (Dragon Age), Apostates (Dragon Age), Evanuris, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Friendship, Gen, Magic, Male-Female Friendship, Original Character(s), Romance, Sassy, Secrets, get ready for some swearing, gonna be sass, minor deviations from canon, smut chapters will have warnings, so much fucking sass, vulgar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-02-28 09:04:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18753259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonstep/pseuds/Dragonstep
Summary: Solas had never been so fascinated. "What other secrets are you keeping from me?" She flashed that cocky smile that drove him mad, drawing him in closer, teasing him with promises of an answer he knew he wouldn't get; not yet, anyway. She hooked her finger around his wolf jawbone necklace, leaning forward to whisper teasingly in his ear. "Wouldn't you like to know?"





	1. Breach

Avisari hated being left behind, though she understood why. At the base of the mountain, she sat a bit away from the road, hidden from sight by a tree and the cover of darkness. Though she was a decent hunter, she could not match Gaelathan's prowess for stealth, and they both knew if she had approached the temple with him, they would have been caught.

The Dalish had sent them to spy on the Divine's conclave, but neither of them had expected it to be so packed. It was a massive event, of course, but how many important humans could they fit into one crumbling temple? Avisari shivered a bit, hugging her arms to her chest. The Frostbacks were frigid, and the wind was unforgiving, even in the shelter of the tree. She wished she could move around to warm her limbs, or start a fire, but with all of the mage and Templar camps around, she couldn't risk it.

Unknown to all except her Keeper, Avisari was an apostate herself. She had been born in an alienage in the Free Marches. Her mother worked as a servant in a noble house, and her father was a tailor. She didn't remember them terribly well; she had started showing the signs at the age of four. She was taken away shortly after.

The Circle in Starkhaven wasn't terrible, but it wasn't fantastic either. Avisari had quickly developed talents far beyond her peers, and was kept under close watch. She hated it there, but she knew better than to mess with the Templars. She saw what happened to mages who did.

So she stuck it out, developing her talents until she was sixteen, often in the night, where she wouldn't frighten the other apprentices with the force she wielded. One evening, she overheard a conversation between the Knight Commander and the First Enchanter. Long story short, they were going to kill her during her Harrowing, whether she defeated the demon or not. She was too powerful to let live, and they feared the Rite of Tranquility would be too much of an undertaking, and the First Enchanter actually agreed! The very thought of the memory made Avisari's blood boil.

Fortunately, that was the same night that Starkhaven's circle burned to the ground. Avisari managed to find her phylactery in the chaos, destroyed it, and fled. Of course, they chased her, but she was quick and she was clever. She escaped, fleeing to the Free Marches, where she met another apostate who taught her to limit her aura so others couldn't tell she was a mage. After a few years there, she crossed the Waking Sea, finding a Dalish Clan that welcomed her with open arms. There, she learned the art of battle with daggers, and she learned what family felt like. She told the Keeper what she was, only because she felt that he deserved to know. He kept her secret.

Now, Avisari was sitting at the base of the mountain, waiting for their best hunter and scout to come back down from the temple. All they were supposed to do was find out who all was in attendance and how the Conclave was going to end. Avisari, being more of a warrior than a hunter, was reasonably stealthy, but not enough to make it past all of these people. She also didn't want to risk being recognized.

Avisari looked up at the mountain, squinting as she saw an eerie green light flooding the temple. "What in the name of the Creators?" She stood, shaking snow off of her pants, and made her way closer, finding a boulder to stand behind. Her eyes widened as the temple exploded, the sky tore open, and a wave of power flooded over the valley. It knocked her back into the snow, and everything went black.

 

* * *

 

_"Ma'esha'lin…"_  The whispers from the other side of the singing red doors reached her ears as she slumped against them.  _"Tel'erathe elvarel."_  She heard them often in her dreams. She didn't always know what they were saying, but when it was urgent, they got the point across. They were never wrong.  _"Fen'Harel theneras sal."_ *

Avisari woke to a rather rough hand applying a poultice to her arm. She winced, hissing softly through her teeth at the pain. "You're awake? Good." It was a gruff man's voice. "You got lucky. That boulder saved your life." She cracked open one eye to see a weathered man with a fuzzy brown beard standing over her. "My name is Adan," he commented, more focused on his work. "You're Dalish. You with the one who did all this? You part of that?"

Avisari blinked a few times, coughing a bit to clear her throat. She felt awful. "Did all what? What happened? I saw a green light, then…" Adan frowned. "The conclave bloody exploded, that's what. Your friend stepped out of the Fade, got this glowing mark on his hand. There's demons everywhere. We just found you a little while ago, all sorts of banged up. Mostly just surface wounds, and the magic of the explosion knocked your head about pretty hard. You should be fine now though. Old Adan's got you all fixed up."

"Gaelathen." Avisari sat up abruptly, bracing her hands on the wall as her head spun from sitting up so quickly. "Easy now," Adan slowly eased her back down. Avisari squeezed her eyes shut. "Where is he? My friend. Is he alright?" She opened her eyes again. "Mostly. They went into the valley not too long ago. Another elf, some apostate, thought that his mark might close the rifts. They went to test it. Sure beats being in chains, that's for sure."

"Chains?" Avisari struggled to sit up again. The world was gradually becoming clearer. "They put him in chains? Why?" Adan huffed. "They thought he did it, but I'm not so sure anymore, since he's trying to help. Will you be still?" Avisari put her bare feet on the floor, realizing she was in her underclothes. "Where are my clothes?"

"You're still very weak, you can't just go out and-"

"Please, I need to find him."

Adan crossed his arms. "Seeker Pentaghast is with him. He's not in any terrible danger, probably. You, on the other hand, will be, if you don't hold still. Give me another half hour and you'll be right as rain."

"Fine." Avisari laid back down slowly, allowing him to finish. He made her drink a foul-smelling liquid that cleared up her head. He gave her back her clothes and the two daggers she was found with. "There. Now take it easy, take any serious hits and you'll be right back here." She smiled at him. "Thank you, Adan." He waved her off, sending her on her way.

Avisari stepped outside, taken aback by the Breach. It pulsed, growing larger by the minute. She guessed that Gaelathen was headed in that direction. She jogged in that direction, following the boot prints in the snow. She was still very tired, but she had to reach Gaelathen. She came across the crumbled bridge, seeing more tracks in the snowy ice below. She picked her way down, following the winding trail up the mountain. She eventually came to the scene of a small battle, and some blocked gates. The footsteps went over a barrier and down the side of a hill into the ravine below. Avisari could hear voices ahead. One of them was familiar.

In her haste, Avisari tripped and tumbled down the hill, sliding to a stop face down on the ice. There was a brief moment of silence. She grunted and pushed herself up, shaking snow out of her cropped black curls. She looked up to see her dear friend, looking startled at first. A big grin spread across his face. "Avisari!" "Gaelathen!" She hugged him tightly. "Thank goodness you're alright. They said you were barely alive when they found you," he held her out at arm's length, looking her over. "Then again, neither was I."

"You!" A sword was drawn and pointed at Avisari. The woman wielding it looked formidable. "What are you doing here? Do you remember what happened at the temple? Were you a part of this?" Avisari blinked, putting her hands up to show they were empty, her daggers strapped to her back. "All I remember was the green light. I didn't have anything to do with this. We were just here to see how the conclave would turn out."

"I do not believe that threatening this woman will get us anywhere, Seeker." A smooth voice reached Avisari's ears. She looked over to see an elven mage with sharp, handsome features speaking to the Seeker. This must have been the elf Adan had mentioned "He's right," a dwarf with a crossbow chimed in. "We are in a hurry, and we need all hands on deck. I'm Varric." He introduced himself.

"My name is Solas," the elf spoke to her. "You are Avisari, correct? I hope those daggers are not just for decoration." Avisari snorted a bit, "trust me, they're not. And you?" She turned to the Seeker, who didn't seem too pleased. "Cassandra Pentaghast. Let's get moving, before I change my mind."

"Not too friendly, is she?" Avisari whispered to Gaelathen, walking beside him with the others. He chuckled softly, "no, but the circumstances do not allow for much leisure. I am sure she's merely stressed."

"And the others?"

"We just met them; I do not know yet. Solas showed me how to close the rifts to stop the demons from coming through. We shall see."

"What are you two whispering about?" Varric called out to them. Avisari looked over her shoulder with a smile. "There are demons pouring from the sky, Varric. I thought we might chat about how lovely the mountains look this time of year. Care to join?" A grin crossed the dwarf's face. Cassandra let out a disgusted scoff.

Avisari did get to show off her prowess in battle against the demons that blocked their way, though with the five of them, she felt almost bored. She liked a challenge, and though the demons were fearsome, they only came across small groups of them that went down easily. She wanted more.

They soon reached a bridge where a cleric was waiting for them. "Chain him! I want him prepared to face trial in Val Royeaux!" "Ignore that," Cassandra rolled her eyes. Avisari decided to let Gaelathen do the talking. He was much better at these sorts of things. She always ended up starting a fight.

Avisari wandered over to the railing, leaning on the cold stone and gazing up at the Breach, only half listening to the others arguing in the background. She was mesmerized by the swirling, pulsing green light. How could such a horrible thing be so beautiful?

"We will take the mountain pass," Gaelathen announced. "We all know what's at stake here. We need to work together." Avisari tore her gaze from the Breach and turned to face her friend. The cleric didn't seem too happy about the decision, but she doubted anything would make him happy.

They eventually made it to the temple, even rescuing some scouts along the way. Avisari got a chill as they walked among charred bodies, their last fearful cries frozen on their faces.

"This rift is closed," Solas's voice rang out, echoing in the quiet temple, "albeit temporarily. With the mark, we should be able to open it and close it permanently, though doing so will likely draw attention from the other side." Avisari felt a little giddy. "Think something big will come through?" Gaelathen rolled his eyes and pushed on her shoulder. "The hope is that we stop that from happening." She stuck her tongue out at him.

They picked their way down into the temple, passing the strange red lyrium sprouting from the temple walls. Varric was very unhappy about it being there. Avisari found it to be strangely familiar. She didn't like it one bit.

They reached the temple floor, ready to seal the rift, and hopefully the Breach above. "Are you ready?" Cassandra asked Gaelathen. "Ready as I'll ever be."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *My child (this version is closer to offspring rather than young one), you must not sleep longer. The Dread Wolf is awake again.


	2. Foot in the Door

"You," the mysterious elven apostate had the expression of an elder scolding a child, "are reckless." Avisari laughed a bit, "it's only reckless if you don't know what you're doing, Solas."

The battle at the Breach had gone well, all things considered. Though the Breach had not been sealed, it had stopped growing, and no more demons were hurled from its eye. Gaelathen was unconscious, but alive, and would recover. Cassandra was in the process of forming a new organization to fight the Breach and whatever created it. Solas and Varric had decided to stay, despite the dangers, as had Avisari. Not that she would have left Gaelathen behind anyway.

Avisari sat on a table, pants off, allowing Solas to examine a rather peculiar injury. She had been limping heavily for several days, and he had finally talked her into letting him examine it. She hadn't gone to the healers because there were others far worse off than herself, but his primary focus was finding a way to close the Breach, and he had a little time to spare while Gaelathen still slept.

Her injury? She had stepped in the way of the pride demon's lightning whip, and it had wrapped around her leg, been yanked, and sent her flying.

"And how exactly did you mean for something like this to happen? You were a formidable force against the pride demon. Why would you let it best you in such a way, if it was not a misstep?" Solas raised an eyebrow, going over to another table, examining two bottles of poultice, trying to determine which would be best for the wound. Avisari crossed her arms, silently mocking him by making faces. She quickly wiped it away when he turned back to face her.

"Had I not, it would have decapitated the dwarf. I have little doubts that my leg is sturdier than his neck."

Solas picked a bottle, pouring a little bit of an oily substance on his hand. "Very well. It was, however, rather foolish of you to wait this long to get it looked at. You've got the beginnings of infection. This is going to sting." Avisari opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again and hissed when he started rubbing the oil on her leg. She gripped the table, leaning her head back. "Shit," she grunted, grinding her teeth. "You weren't kidding."

She relaxed a little when he finished and began using a little healing magic. She let out a few short breaths, releasing the tension from her core. She relaxed her shoulders, lifting her leg so he could wrap a bandage around it. "Thank you, Solas," she said when he completed his task. "Lasa halani,"* he replied, wiping his hands off on a cloth. "Be sure to wrap it in clean bandages at least once a day, more than that if you do any heavy labor." Avisari gave a cheeky grin, "but then I wouldn't have an excuse to come enjoy your presence." She could have sworn he almost rolled his eyes as he ignored her.

She stood, wincing as she pulled her pants back on. She was very careful not to mess up the bandage as she did so. She let out a sigh of relief once she had them all the way on, not looking forward to the rest of the day. They were running short on food, so she was going out hunting. It was mostly just checking traps, but it would be quite the trek over the mountain in the deep snow.

"May I ask you something?" Solas caught her attention as she pulled on her boots gingerly. She looked up from where she was kneeling on the ground. "Be my guest, though I can't promise I have an answer for you." Solas leaned against one of the supporting pillars of his cabin, gazing down at her with a puzzled expression. "You are not Dalish, are you?"

Avisari snorted, "you got me, I'm a fucking giant." Solas's mouth twitched into a frown. She laughed softly, "I'm sorry, you're clearly in no mood for jokes. I was not born Dalish, if that is what you meant to ask, but I am as Dalish as any of the others now. The circumstances of our birth do not matter." Solas thought on this answer for a moment. "Why do you ask?" Avisari tilted her head, sitting against the wall with one boot on.

"You do not act quite like your kin." Avisari rolled her eyes at that. "So I have my own personality. Why does that mean I'm not Dalish?" Solas smiled slightly, "that isn't what I meant. I apologize for any offense." Avisari waved her hand dismissively, "I know you didn't mean it. I get that a lot."

Solas continued to speak. "I did not mean your personality, though you are certainly more… open than most of your kin." "They're your kin too." That earned a scowl. Avisari raised an eyebrow. "What? You're an elf, we're elves, what's the difference? City elf, Dalish elf, wandering apostate who prefers the fade, we're all elves, aren't we?" Solas sighed softly, "it is not quite so simple, but that is not the subject at hand. As I was saying, you do not move in the same manner as the Dalish. You do not share their mannerisms, or their views towards other races. Aside from your personality, you do not even speak the same way, and you do not seem to know what little elvish the Dalish do remember."

It was Avisari's turn to scowl. "I'm doing my best. Most of the Dalish learn elvish phrases as children. I just kind of had to pick up what I could. It's not easy." Solas nodded, "I'd imagine so. I am not criticizing, merely pointing out an observation. Where are you from?"

Avisari pulled on her other boot. "That's not really any of your business." Solas blinked a few times, stunned. "Avisari, if I have offended-" "No," she cut him off, "despite your best efforts, I'm really not offended. Maybe a little peeved, but you can't help it. I just don't know you well enough to tell you that. Maybe another time." Solas seemed to understand. "Very well." He held open the door for her with a polite smile. She felt her heart skip. "Dareth shiral, da'len."*

Avisari cursed quietly to herself as she made her way through Haven, stopping by her tent to grab an extra coat. The wind was particularly harsh that day, but her face felt awfully hot. She'd never had a problem with attractive men before, why now? She shook her head to clear it. Certainly not Mr. High-and-Mighty too-good-for-thou with his egg head. Right?

Damn it.

She wrapped a belt around her waist with a dagger attached, and strapped a bow to her back. Hopefully, she wouldn't need either, but better safe than sorry. She headed out into the cold, breaking from the trail to trudge through the knee-deep snow. "This had better be worth it," she grumbled as she approached the first trap.

* * *

 

It was well after dark when Avisari returned, laden with several wild nug and even a ram. It was all way too heavy for her to be dragging by herself, and it had earned her a heavy limp and, she suspected, bloody trousers. She wore several layers, so she couldn't be sure yet. She dropped the game by the fire just through the gates, too tired to bother hauling it up to the quartermaster herself. Varric gave her a sympathetic look. "Thanks firecracker." "Yeah," she raised a hand in acknowledgement and trudged to her tent.

She had just reached it when a familiar voice brought life back into her eyes. "You look like death warmed over." She whirled around, "Gaelathen! You're awake!" She embraced him, delighted to see him standing. "I was so worried." "I know. I'm alright." He smiled warmly at her. "Hey, they gave me a cabin to myself. Why don't you sleep somewhere warmer than this tent?" Avisari laughed slightly, "that would set tongues wagging. Do you know what they're calling you?" "Herald of Andraste, yeah, I know." His expression was conflicted. "They're starting up an Inquisition. I'm going to help. From what I hear, you already have been. Oh, Solas asked me to remind you to change the bandages around your leg."

Avisari grimaced. "Yeah, about that…" Judging from the wetness making her trousers stick to her, her leg was definitely bloody. "I'm gonna need some elfroot poultice." Gaelathen gave her a sympathetic look. "I've got some. Come on, I won't have you sleeping in the cold tonight. I'll risk the gossip."

They made their way to Gaelathen's cabin. Avisari's limp was heavy. Her leg was practically raw after the rough reckoning she had been doing all day. She pulled off her layers, happy to have the heat of the fireplace nearby, and carefully peeled off the reddened bandages from her leg. Fortunately, the infection had receeded.

She took the poultice from Gaelathen and gingerly spread it over her leg, allowing the wound to have a few moments of air before wrapping it in clean bandages. "You're in no state to continue hunting," Gaelathen wiped a bit of dirt from her face with a damp cloth. She frowned, furrowing her eyebrows. "Soldiers need to eat, Gaelathen." He handed her the cloth. "I'll do it. We'll be here for a few weeks while the Inquisition gathers forces for our movements into the Hinterlands anyway. That should give you time to heal up." She wiped the sweat and grime from her face and neck. "You'd let me sit around all day and do nothing? I'll go mad."

"You're already mad," he teased her. She stuck her tongue out at him. He rolled his eyes playfully, "be careful, leave your tongue out and Fen'Harel might come to bite it off." Avisari laughed, "you're the one who's mad."

Gaelathen sat down in a chair by the fire, growing solemn. "We've gotten ourselves into quite the mess, haven't we, lethalan?" Avisari stood, hobbling over to him and putting her hand on his shoulder. "Nothing we can't handle. Don't worry. I'm right here with you." He smiled up at her. "You know what they say. May the Dread Wolf never catch our scent."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *pleased to help  
> *safe travels, young one


	3. Little Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Hey guys so I may be slow on updates for the next couple of weeks; I'm going on a road trip across the USA, which isn't exactly the ideal place to write. Thanks for bearing with me!
> 
> Also, at the moment, I'm torn between staying with the current title, 'Whispers of the False Gods' or a new one, 'Reckless.' What do you guys think?

After a couple of weeks of enforced bedrest, courtesy of Gaelathen, backed up by Solas, Avisari was good as new and had a whole mess of cabin fever to work off. So what did she do? She went down to the training yard, where new recruits were forming up for the morning's warm ups. "Good morning, Seeker," she greeted Cassandra, who was already battering that poor dummy. "Care to beat on something that can fight back?" Cassandra raised an eyebrow, "are you up for the challenge?" Avisari smiled in what she hoped was a friendly manner. "I've been pent up for two and a half weeks. I'm up for anything." Cassandra gave her the slightest of smiles and tossed her a wooden training shield and a blunted sword.

The shield was heavy and awkward. Cassandra showed her how to hold it, giving her a few pointers. Avisari wrinkled her nose. "I think I'm going to pass on the shield, but thank you, Cassandra." The Seeker shrugged, "as you wish."

Armed with the training sword, Avisari rolled out her shoulders, turning to face Cassandra. She dropped her weight into her hips, lowering her stance and meeting Cassandra's initial blow with equal force. Cassandra seemed surprised. "You are stronger than you look." Avisari grinned, "I'm full of surprises."

Cassandra struck with her shield next, but Avisari was no stranger to fighting a foe wielding one. She turned her shoulder to it, taking the brunt of the blow with the meat of her arm, leaning back a bit to soften the force. She then pushed with her legs, forcing Cassandra back a step. She jumped back and struck with her sword, forcing the Seeker on the defensive. She faked a misstep, allowing Cassandra to bring her shield closer to her chest, then the elf struck, putting all of her force into a kick right to the center of the shield. Cassandra stumbled back, tripping over a tent stake, and fell to the ground.

Avisari offered a hand to help her up. Cassandra was dumbfounded for a moment, then took it. "You are certainly skilled." She admitted. Avisari laughed a bit, "against one, certainly. I specialize in dueling. You'll find I'm far closer to average when it comes to larger battles."

"Then why don't we work on that? I could use a little close combat practice." Gaelathen approached them, training sword already in hand. Avisari raised her hand in greeting. "On dhea, lethalin.* What does an archer want with close combat?" Gaelathen took a practice swing at her, which she blocked with ease.

"We're expanding our horizons, lethalan. I can't always rely on you to be a good distraction."

Gaelathen had very little experience in close combat, but his presence was enough to harass Avisari enough for Cassandra to find an opening, charging with a powerful shield bash and knocking the elf to the ground. Avisari rolled, quickly getting to her feet. "SHIT, Cassandra, you hit hard." Cassandra smirked slightly, clearly pleased with herself.

Eventually the attention turned from beating down Avisari's arrogance to fixing Gaelathen's horrible technique. "No, you're holding a sword, not a fork. Grip it like you mean it, or it will fly right out of your hand!" Cassandra was a harsh teacher, but Gaelathen didn't seem to mind. He was eager to learn, after all, and he certainly didn't mind Cassandra's hands covering his own. She even took off her gloves to adjust his fingers.

Avisari left them to it.

She made her way through Haven, whistling and old tune to herself. She didn't remember where she had heard it, but it stuck with her. Maybe her mother had sang it once.

"You know, Firecracker, you don't fight like an elf." Varric caught up with her, walking beside her and guiding her into the tavern. Avisari laughed a bit, "oh no, another one who thinks I'm a giant." Varric chuckled at that. "I mean you move differently than them. You're definitely an elf, but there's something very human about you." Avisari's grin quickly turned to a scowl. "Say that again and I'll cut your ears off." Varric put his hands up defensively, "easy, I didn't mean it in a bad way. I'm just asking, you got some human blood in you?"

Avisari slumped into a chair, glaring at him. "Four generations back. You tell anyone and I'll bury you so deep that the deep roads won't be enough to find the body." Varric sat across from her. "Your secret is safe with me, Firecracker. So you do know a bit of your family history." Avisari shoved some bread in her mouth. "'Course I do." Varric gave her an encouraging look. "Care to share?" "No." Varric shook his head with a smile. "Didn't think so, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Hey, I seriously won't tell anyone, alright? Promise. Businessman's honour."

Avisari flicked a crumb in his direction. "You'd better not."

* * *

 

Avisari soon found herself in the Hinterlands, once again being scolded by Solas for being too reckless. "Just because I have put a protective barrier over you does not mean you should go charging right into a fire blast from an enemy mage!" Avisari pinched the end of a short curl on her forehead, putting out the last bit of flame that was there. "Yeah yeah, everyone's got their own learning curve, okay? I won't do it again." Varric chimed in, "somehow I doubt that." Cassandra let out a disgusted grunt.

"You won't be able to stop her," Gaelathen commented, pulling an arrow out of a fresh corpse and examining it before tucking it back in his quiver. "That's what she does best." He looked up thoughtfully, absentmindedly wiping blood off his fingers on his leather armor. "Perhaps you should learn how to use a shield."

"You can shove that arrow up your ass. Cassandra's got the shield department covered."

Gaelathen chuckled, "relax, it was just a suggestion."

Cassandra scowled. "I don't understand why you have to leap in head first. You are quick and quiet; why don't you go in from behind?" Avisari sighed, leaning against a tree. "Yeah, that would make sense, but I'm not used to fighting with you guys yet. See, when it's just me and Gaelathen, or just us and some hunters, I'm the distraction. This may come as a surprise to you, but I'm usually the big guy. This," she gestured to the rest of them, "this is new to me. But you're right. I'll work on that. Next time we come across a group, I'll try being sneaky."

Long story short, sneaky wasn't really Avisari's strong suit, but they did work out a system. Cassandra would go barreling in, knocking down whomever she could, and Avisari would keep them down while the others picked them off with ranged attacks. It became quite effective.

They made camp for the night in the remains of the apostate mage's hide out, after they had wiped out all of the remaining mages of course. Avisari sat by the fire, applying a cooling poultice to a small burn wound on her forearm. It wasn't anything major, it just stung like a bitch.

Solas sat down on the log beside her. "Allow me to take a look?" Avisari shrugged. "No need, it's just a small one. Doesn't even warrant a bandage." Solas took her wrist in his long fingers and pulled her arm over to rest on his knees, his grey eyes scanning the wound thoroughly. "This shouldn't take long." His other hand started glowing as he placed it over her wrist. Avisari watched with mild interest. "Shouldn't you be saving your energy? We are in a war zone." Solas replied, "we are safe enough for the moment. It doesn't take much." He looked at her with a humorous gleam in his eye. "Besides, you have been volunteered for first watch. We need you at your best." Avisari groaned, leaning her head back. "Dammit, I thought Varric was gonna take first watch." Solas laughed softly, "Varric is already asleep, as is everyone else."

Avisari raised an eyebrow. "So why are you still awake? I thought you relished the chance to dream." The corners of Solas's mouth twitched upwards into a smile, the firelight dancing across the sharp angles of his cheekbones. Avisari missed his answer entirely, engrossed in staring at him. When he looked at her expectantly, she turned bright red.

"I'm sorry, what? I must have spaced out for a second."

He laughed, leaning his head back a bit. "I said I am still sore from the day's fighting, and I have not relaxed enough to sleep yet." Avisari quickly looked away from him, fighting the heat rising up her neck. "Then why don't you take watch? You're not sleeping anyway." "Because the job was given to you, da'len." Avisari rolled her eyes with an exaggerated sigh.

Solas let go of her arm. "There. That should be sufficient." Avisari looked down at it, pulling it back to her own lap. The wound had all but vanished. "Ma serannas,* hahren." "De da'rahn,"* he stood, running his fingers over his head. Avisari couldn't help herself. "Are you bald by choice?"

Solas looked down at her, surprised at first, then clearly amused. "Yes, it is a choice. I use magic." Avisari tilted her head, "what colour would it be if you let it grow?" Solas raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want to know?" She shrugged, "curiosity." Solas smiled to himself, as if amused by a joke only he understood. "When I was younger, it was black. It might still be, or I might be greying." Avisari laughed, "you're clearly not too young, but you don't look that old. Certainly not a wrinkle on you." "You flatter me, ina'lan'ehn sa."*

Avisari blinked. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't know that one." Solas shook his head, waving his hand dismissively. "What about you? Your hair is very short as well." Avisari grinned wildly, "see, us non-magical gremlins have these things called knives to keep our hair short." Solas laughed, bringing his hand to his mouth to quiet himself. "I was more interested in why."

Avisari reached up, hooking her finger in one of the ringlet curls that hugged her head. "Easier to maintain, doesn't get in the way, doesn't catch on fire as easily-" "You certainly like to test that." Avisari stuck her tongue out at him. She leaned back on the log, holding her ankles for stability. "I guess I also like the way it looks. It's cute, and different. Long hair is pretty too, but it works for me, and it works for Cassandra too." Solas nodded, "a good answer." He seemed amused. "Did you often have issues with your hair catching fire?"

Avisari laughed, remembering a time when she was still in the Starkhaven circle. She was practicing her control, since she had issues with her power overwhelming her and spiraling out of her control. Fire was particularly dangerous for her. She had been practicing holding a flame in her hand without a staff, since it was easier to keep the magic drained that way. She had turned her head for one moment upon hearing her name, and her hair had gone up in flames. It had been chaos at the time, but in hindsight it was rather amusing.

"Not anymore, obviously. I cut it short." She stood and stretched her arms over her head. Though the cave sheltered them from the worst of the wind, it was still a chilly night. Avisari stood close to the fire, gazing into the flame. Solas stood across from her, facing the cave entrance. "Most people on watch look at the entrance to their camp." He commented. Avisari rolled her eyes, "most people couldn't hear a dragon if it was stomping right next to them. I'm watching, just not with my eyes. If you're so concerned, you keep an eye out." Solas frowned a bit, "you think you'll be able to hear someone coming?"

"Not if you keep talking."

Solas seemed a little taken aback. Avisari grumbled to herself, then said, "sorry." Solas didn't answer her. She turned her back to the fire, watching the entrance to the cave. "Happy?" "It is your watch. Carry it out however you wish." Avisari sucked her cheeks in, swallowing her annoyance. She actually could only see the outline of the cave entrance, with the firelight at her back. Watching it wasn't going to help her much, not with all the brush growing around the stone.

She let out a soft sigh. She didn't want to end the conversation on a tense note. "I grew up in an alienage, for a few years anyway." Her voice was softer than it had been. "We had to listen for the scratching of the rats over the howling of dogs, shouting of drunken men, and all the other sounds of a stinking city. Had to keep them out of the food, or we'd be sick _and_ starving. That kind of skill sticks with you. I can't see shite with this firelight behind me; I doubt that I could see that far anyway. But I can hear the nug eating the berries just outside of the cave. Someone comes sneaking by, he'll let me know."

She turned back to face the fire, slightly surprised to see Solas watching her. There was a quiet curiosity in his expression. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, hands open to the fire to warm them. "Why did your parents leave the alienage?" Avisari looked away. "As far as I know, they didn't."

"Why did you?"

Avisari shook her head. "Not important. Glad I did though. Life sucked there. Water made your eyes weak; it was left over from the humans, barely drinkable. I wish they weren't so scared of the Dalish; they would be so much better off."

Solas seemed to contemplate something. Avisari shifted her weight to her other foot, crossing her arms over her chest. He asked her, "how old were you when you left?" Avisari shrugged. "Five and a half, roughly." She gulped, not wanting him to ask the wrong questions. "It was better that way. Like I said, terrible place to live."

"I am sorry you had to live like that. Elves should never have fallen so low." Solas's expression was one of deep regret. Avisari gave him a smile. She walked around the fire and sat down beside him. "For the phoenix to be reborn anew, it first must burn." She laughed a little. "My mother used to tell me that. I always thought it was the most ridiculous thing. Still, I guess it's better than being a Tevinter slave."

Solas was quiet for a long moment. Finally, he spoke. "Yes," he sounded weary. "It is far better than slavery."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *good morning, brother/kin (an endearing term for a very close friend or family member)
> 
> *my thanks
> 
> *"It is a little thing" (the equivalent of 'no problem')
> 
> *beautiful one


	4. Flowers

The methodical thumping on the glowing red door was driving her mad. Thump, thump, slow and steady, her heartrate rising each time the sound reached her ears. They were growing impatient. " _Ar'an ju'tel'melenir bellanaris._ "* She didn't know what to do. She could not run from the door. She was bound to it, her hands knotted to its great handles. The door itself sang, insanity threatening to swallow her. "What do you want?" She cried out. "I cannot help you! I cannot set you free! I don't know how!"

" _Sul'ema ra dur._ "*

A gloved palm over her mouth muffled Avisari's startled cry as a firm hand shook her awake by her shoulder. At first, with sleep clouding her vision, she could not see who knelt over her, but she relaxed when she was pulled into a warm embrace. The slender shoulders smelled of pine sap and the musk of halla. Gaelathen rocked her gently; he was no stranger to her nightmares, and this had been a particularly bad one. "Hush now, lethalan," he murmured, keeping his voice low. "You are awake now. I am here." He laid her back down gently, wiping the cold sweat from her neck with his sleeve.

"Lethalin," she took hold of his hand. His warm brown eyes gazed down at her with gentle affection, a smile dancing across his golden-brown face. "I am here," he repeated. "Keep your voice low; you'll wake the others."

Avisari rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked around. They slept in an Inquisition camp, reclaimed from bandits on the eastern road. Though tents were available, it was a chilly night, and the party had opted to sleep by the fire. She looked back to Gaelathen, who was sitting beside her, smoothing back his sleep-rumpled hair, tugging the unruly dark strands into his usual high knot on his head. It was not quite dawn, and the black vallaslin of Andruil branded on his skin was barely visible by the dying embers of the fire pit.

"Walk with me?" He offered his hand to her. She took it, each using the other's weight to pull themselves to a standing position. Avisari shivered as the blankets slipped off of her shoulders, leaving her in her tunic and trousers. The cliff walls of the gorge around them offered some shelter from the wind, but it wasn't much, and the cotton fabric was threadbare.

Gaelathen draped a blanket over her shoulders as she pulled on her boots. They slipped out of camp, past the Inquisition scouts standing guard, and further into the unexplored valley beyond.

"Look there," Gaelathen whispered, pointing towards a crumbling rock formation. "Fuck me, is that a high dragon?" Avisari squinted, struggling to see through the night, but the shape of a stretching dragon's wing as she turned around to shift her sleeping position was unmistakable. "You're blind as a nug." Gaelathen pushed her lightly, grinning playfully. "Yes, it's a high dragon. A Ferelden Frostback, to be precise. She's sleeping right now, but she'll be a problem when she wakes. Her babies are everywhere. I'm going to see what the others think of fighting her when they wake."

Avisari grinned. "I wanna fight a dragon!" Gaelathen put his hand over her mouth, "keep your voice down! We don't want to wake her now!" Avisari bit his finger. He scowled and shook his hand, glaring at her. She stuck her tongue out and closed her eyes for a moment, listening to the world around her. "Lots of snoring babies. You're right, they'll soon outgrow this grove." She opened her eyes again.

Gaelathen rested his back against a rock, stretching his legs out in front of him, then bringing one knee up to rest his arm on it. "Avisari, I need your help," he seemed embarrassed. Avisari raised an eyebrow, sitting cross-legged beside his outstretched leg. He looked down at his lap. "I think I've developed a crush of sorts. On a human, of all things. I…" Avisari grinned. "Is it Cassandra?" Gaelathen cleared his throat nervously. Avisari stiffened her giggle, putting her fingers to her lips. "I knew it." Gaelathen chewed on his lip, clearly in turmoil. "What should I do? I don't want to come on too strong, but… I want to be noticed. This is not something I'm used to."

Avisari thought for a moment, looking around her in hopes of some inspiration. She spotted some embrium flowers growing beneath a rocky overhang. "I might just have an idea."

* * *

 

Avisari soothed her rumbling stomach with roasted nug and wild berries while waiting for Cassandra to wake. Gaelathen had laid a bouquet of embrium and some other wild flowers they had gathered, still glistening with dew, by her hands where she slept. Hopefully, she would like them.

Solas stood by the fire, warming his hands. "How do your feet not get cold?" Avisari asked, gesturing to his foot wraps as opposed to boots. Solas answered, "they simply don't. Perhaps it is a side effect of magic." Avisari frowned, "I've known plenty of mages with cold feet. Besides, the rest of you is cold. Why not your feet?" Solas let a half-smile dance across his face. "So full of questions." Avisari smiled, "I'd never learn anything otherwise."

"And yet, you don't want to answer mine."

"Oh, he called you out, firecracker." Varric chuckled as he wandered over, rubbing his hands together to stave off the chill. Avisari rolled her eyes playfully, "you just ask the wrong questions, Solas." Solas laughed a bit, "pardon me for having little interest in the warmth of your feet." Avisari snorted, amused.

Her attention was caught when Cassandra began to stir. She could hear Gaelathen shifting nervously at the edge of camp as he tried to look busy. Cassandra opened her eyes, jumping a bit when her hand brushed the petals of the embrium, then relaxing when she realized what it was. She sat up, rubbing the bleariness from her eyes, and gazed down at the bundle of flowers. She picked them up gingerly, confusion crossing her features. She looked up, the question in her eyes. Varric gestured behind her, to where Gaelathen had his back to them, trying his best not to look over his shoulder.

Cassandra gazed at the elf for a long moment, then back down at the flowers, and Avisari saw one of her rare smiles, dripping with sweet delight. However, when Cassandra realized she was still being watched, the look was quickly erased, and she was up and out of her bedroll in an instant, though the flowers were carefully set aside where they wouldn't be damaged.

Avisari considered the endeavor an absolute success.

"I'm writing that down," Varric commented when Cassandra was out of earshot. Solas had a bit of a strangely nostalgic look on his face. Avisari was filled with a special sort of joy. She put her hand over her mouth to hide her shameless grin. Delight filled every corner of her heart. She was a hopeless romantic.

Gaelathen cleared his throat as he approached. "So, right to the point. There's a high dragon in the valley through the cave pass. I'm not going to force anyone to fight it: volunteers only. Who's up for the challenge?"

"You bet your sweet ass I am," Avisari and Varric chimed in perfect unison. Solas rolled his eyes, though he couldn't help but to smile. "I will help. We cannot lose you now, and this dragon will become a menace when she and her brood outgrow their current home." Cassandra approached, in full armor and ready for the day. "I will as well, though we should not go in blindly. Do you have a plan?" Gaelathen nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "I do. Shall we go over it?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *We will not wait forever.  
> *Tear it down.


	5. Dragon Slayer

Things were most certainly  _not_  going according to plan.

The plan had been for Cassandra to keep the attention of the high dragon while the others took out the brood, then join her in the assault, but that had failed when the brood decided they all wanted to swarm Cassandra. The backup plan was for Avisari to keep the high dragon's attention, but that had failed when the damn thing decided it was going to fly and rain fire down upon them while the brood swarmed them. That was all fine and dandy, with two archers and a mage keeping her at bay, until she decided to swoop down, landing right on their mage, who was keeping a protective barrier on the rest of them, and swung her tail around, knocking the warrior and the dwarf off their feet. Varric was out cold. Cassandra almost got up, until the high dragon hit her with a fireblast, blowing her back into a rock formation and thoroughly putting her out of the fight.

That's how Avisari and Gaelathen found themselves trying to figure out how to keep a high dragon from eating their friends while fighting off her babies. Avisari did most of the fighting, desperately trying to dodge the little fireballs and the big fireballs and the teeth and talons and tails and everything else. Gaelathen dragged Cassandra away, the look of relief on his face announcing that she yet lived. He tucked her behind some rocks where the high dragons couldn't reach her.

While the battle was difficult, the babies were stupid, and their ranks were quickly thinning, thanks to Avisari's blades. Thank heavens they were stupid, because Avisari wouldn't have stood a chance if they were smart. The high dragon was smart, however, and was causing quite a problem. Avisari had to let out her aura a bit to sense for the fireballs before they hit. She was having the fight of her life.

No, nothing was going according to plan, but it was a damn good time.

Gaelathen fired an arrow into the skull of another dragonling, dragging Varric's body to safety shortly after. "Also alive!" He called out. Avisari rolled beneath a blow from the high dragon's tail, finding herself conveniently kneeling over Solas. Solas's eyes fluttered open when she put her fingers to his neck to check his pulse. She grinned, "good morning sunshine! Isn't it a fine day?" She shoved her arm beneath him and rolled away, dragging his flailing body with her, and narrowly avoiding the massive fireball that landed where they had been moments before.

Unfortunately, she had miscalculated, and they ended up rolling off of the rocky plateau and down into the grassy meadow below. That wouldn't have been too terrible, except they landed right in the middle of a hungry swarm of dragonlings. "Uh, Solas, now would be a good time for some magic!" Avisari looked around for his staff, realizing with a sinking feeling that it had likely been left up where the dragon was.

Solas put his hands up, and Avisari could feel the raw power emanating from him as the air around them chilled. He called down a storm of ice upon the dragonlings, and slumped down into the grass afterwards, all without a staff. It was clearly draining, and he was hurting as it was.

"That was hot," Avisari grinned, sitting up in the grass, breathless. "On the contrary, I produced magic of ice, which tends to be rather cold in nature." Solas closed his eyes, grimacing. The ground shook beneath them, and Avisari could hear Gaelathen screeching for her. "Oh shit, the dragon! I'll be right back!" She could hear Solas laughing breathlessly as she scrambled back up on the rocks.

"Oi! Pick on someone your own size!" Avisari charged the dragon, driving the full force of her body through her shoulder into the dragon's jaw. Though she more hurt herself than the dragon, she did land a solid hit and got the dragon's attention, managing to knock out a tooth while she was at it, stopping the great beast from chomping down on Gaelathen, who was looking rather pale.

The dragon turned on her, rearing her scaly head, barraging Avisari with blasts of fire. Avisari guided it away from Gaelathen, giving him a chance to grab Solas and pull him to safety. She stumbled over Solas's staff, her hands sparking when she touched it.

The dragon let out a roar that shook the earth and took off, flying up into the clouds and towards her nest. After a few breaths, Avisari picked up Solas's staff, calling out to him, "how badly do you need this?" From the edge of the clearing, he was merely a pale shape to her, slumped against the darker shape of Gaelathen. "What?"

"Is it going to break your heart if this doesn't make it back?" She shouted, taking a few steps in the dragon's direction. Gaelathen shouted back, "you're not going after it, are you?" "Sure am! I'll get you a new staff, Solas! This one's probably gonna break!" And by break, she meant be shattered into a million little splinters. She was going to have to use magic if she wanted to kill the dragon on her own. Fortunately, the others were down for the count, so she stood a chance of keeping her little secret to herself.

"Avisari, I really don't think-" She was already gone before they could stop her. She raced towards the mountain, climbing up the precarious trail to the dragon's nest. She ducked as a ball of flame flew over her head, singing her hair. "Damn it," she growled, quickly batting at her head to put out the small fire that had started there.

She finally reached the top, where the dragon perched with smoking nostrils. It let out a mighty roar, making her wince. "You loud-ass bitch, you fight like a coward!" She raised the staff in the air. "How about I zap some sense into you?" She released her aura, letting magic flow through her. Just as the dragon charged her, she burst with lightning, sending electric arcs spiraling in all directions.

Shit, it was out of control. It had been quite a while since she had used magic. She focused on the staff in her hand, pointing it at the dragon and using all of her energy to try and drag the lightning into one point. She closed her eyes against the blinding light, putting her other hand up to shield her face, but of course, that hand was shooting out lightning too. She was blasted back by the force. She hit a rock, letting out a grunt as the lightning kept pouring from her, effectively cooking the dragon from the inside out.

The dragon collapsed beneath the beam of lightning, but the lightning didn't stop. "Shit!" Avisari shouted, trying to remember distant lessons from the circle. Control, she needed to reel it back in. She fought with her explosive aura, dragging it back. The lightning began to fade, and eventually flickered out altogether, leaving the air crackling with the remnants of the raw energy she had wrought upon the mountaintop.

Avisari peeled herself off of the rock and fell to her knees, breathing heavily. The dragon smoldered in front of her, smoke rising from her empty eye sockets, nostrils, and the gaps between her teeth. Avisari looked down at the staff in her hand. It was nothing but ash, and a breeze soon blew the remains of it away. Oops.

Exhaustion overwhelmed the young elven woman, and she was tempted to nap right there. Her mana was still bubbling inside of her, but she had a firm hold of it now. She squashed her aura back down, back to that of a normal person. She desperately tried to come up with a story of how she had managed to cook a dragon without magic, but she had nothing in her exhausted state.

"Fuck!" She grunted, her limbs shaky as she struggled to stand. The cuts and bruises littering her body from the beginning of the battle were nothing compared to the ache in her bones. Her back ached from being slammed against the rock, though fortunately it had been smooth, and nothing felt seriously injured. Avisari looked up at the cloudy sky, closing her eyes when it started to rain.

"Miss Lavellan, I- SHIT!" Avisari looked up to see a group of Inquisition soldiers approaching, then cowering when they spotted the dragon, which had stopped smoking. Of course, with the camp so close by, Gaelathen would have gone back and sent for reinforcements from the Crossroads. "It's dead," she called out, forcing herself to her feet. She braced her hands on her knees, feeling dizzy. The mana threatened to burst out of her again. She held it back.

"The Herald sent us to aide you," the Lieutenant of the group of soldiers approached her. She shook her head, putting up a finger. "Give me some space. Why don't you start skinning that dragon? Her scales will make for some fine armor for the Herald." She stumbled back, leaning against a rock, growling when one of the soldiers moved to help her.

"How did you kill it?" One of the soldiers asked, a young man, barely out of boyhood, the hairs just beginning to grow on his face. "Very carefully," she grumbled, beginning to feel herself again. She looked up. "You got any water, kid?" He handed her a water skin. She emptied it, feeling much better afterwards. "Thanks. Are the others alright?" The soldier nodded, "they are in the camp at the entrance to the valley. We brought a healer from the Crossroads who is attending to them. When you are ready, we'll escort you down to see her as well."

"I don't need escorting, but thank you. Just take care of the dragon, and keep an eye out for babies. You never know." Avisari started picking her way down the precipice, back through the valley, where she found a stick suitable for leaning on. She hobbled her way back to camp, where Inquisition scouts were waiting for her.

* * *

Once everyone was fit to travel, Gaelathen decided it was time to head back to Haven and prepare for a trip to Val Royeaux. Fortunately, they were all too exhausted to ask Avisari just how she had killed the dragon, and probably assumed that the soldiers had arrived in time to help her. Avisari practically slept on her horse on the way back.

When they arrived at Haven, she was surprised to find everyone referring to her as 'The Dragonslayer.' Of course, Leliana would know that she had killed the dragon herself, just not how. Still, she found she rather liked the title, but before she could revel in it, a nap was in order. A long nap.


	6. Experiment

"You've been sleeping for two days, Avisari." Gaelathen's scolding voice was the perfect beacon for throwing a pillow at. There was a soft "oof" and a grumble, then the blankets were ripped away from Avisari, earning a pitiful whine. "But I'm so tired!" She cracked open one eyeball to see Gaelathen with his fists on his hips, his eyebrow raised as he looked down at her. "Dragon slayers do not sleep all day," he stated, smacking her with her own pillow. "Besides, I'd like you to do something for me while I go to Val Royeaux."

"What?" She sat up at that. "You mean I'm not going with you?" Gaelathen smiled slightly, "I am capable of survival without you, lethalan. I would bring you, but the Clergy are going to have a hard time swallowing one Dalish elf. To bring two would certainly be an insult we can't afford." Avisari groaned and muttered something about shoving arrows up their asses.

"Will you get out of bed? I'd like you to be mostly awake when I ask this favour of you." Gaelathen tossed her some warmer clothes than the undergarments she was wearing. The Dalish were not nearly as shy about their bodies as others tended to be, so sleeping in a less-than-presentable manner wasn't uncommon. Avisari pulled a linen tunic over her head, then stood up to pull on the trousers. Gaelathen had his back turned out of politeness. She had been shy when she first came to the clan, after all. She appreciated the gesture.

"Alright," she slumped into a chair, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What do you need me to do?" Gaelathen looked a little sheepish, and a little mischievous. "Nothing too serious. I just need you to look into something Solas asked about. Some artifact a little deeper in the Frostbacks. Solas has a rough idea of where it may be located, and wished to visit the ruins anyway. I don't want him going alone." Avisari nodded, stretching her arms and legs out, wiggling her toes. "Yeah, I get it. I'll go."

* * *

"I cannot fucking believe this. This has to be the coldest damn spot in the entirety of Thedas. Why the fuck would anyone ever come here, much less build something here?" Avisari was cursing loudly, hugging her arms to her chest as she trembled violently, even beneath her thick druffalo hide coat. Solas pushed through the windy snow, his arm up to shield his face. "Does your cursing keep you warm, da'len?" "Nothing could keep me warm in this place. Four billion tons of white druffalo shit later, and that mountain still looks just as far as it did an hour ago!"

They were in the highest peaks of the Frostbacks, pushing through a nasty blizzard towards a cave that supposedly held ancient ruins with some sort of something inside; Avisari didn't actually know what they were looking for.

"So tell me," Solas pulled his scarf closer to his face. "How did you manage to kill a high dragon on your own?" Avisari snorted, "perfect time for small talk, but alright. It was already wounded, and I'm much better at dueling than I am at facing a horde of the little bastards. It wasn't so hard when I only had her to deal with." "A dragon is still a dragon, even if there's only one of them." Solas glanced back at her, his steely eyes flashing with curiosity. "The soldiers claimed she had been cooked from the inside, as if by magic."

He was getting too close. Avisari avoided his gaze. "She was a fire-breathing dragon, Solas, maybe she got some cinders stuck in her throat. I don't know much about the anatomy of dragons, other than stay away from the sharp parts. Well, all the parts, actually." Solas looked up at the mountain in front of them, looming over them, then looked to the sides of the treacherous valley they were in, practically a wind tunnel. "There, I see a small cave. Perhaps we should rest for a while?" "That's the best damn idea you've had all day!"

They soon had a small fire going, their heavier layers set aside to dry, and lounged beside their fire, relaxing in the warmth of the small cave. They listened to the wind outside howl, finding it satisfying that it never rounded the bend in the cave entrance to chill them.

Avisari was frustrated with Solas's view of the Dalish. "Look, I understand that we don't know everything; far from it. But we're trying, damn it. Do you expect an infant to know advanced mathematics? We're doing what we can!" Solas crossed his arms, leaning back against his pack, his feet propped on a rock beside the fire. "No, I do not expect you to know; what irks me is your unwillingness to learn. Most Dalish clans I interact with have been hostile, and those that aren't are so stuck in their ways that they refuse to be taught."

Avisari scowled at the fire, trying to keep the chatter out of her teeth. "Then teach  _me_ , hahren. Perhaps it will be different, coming from one of their own." Solas's look softened. "Gladly, da'len. I understand how hard it is to find that everything you know has changed."

"It hasn't changed. It was never right in the first place." Avisari changed the subject. "What about the city elves? Do you hold as much disdain for them as you do the Dalish?" She made eye contact with him, her sapphire gaze meeting his grey orbs. "Do you think it is better to try and do the wrong thing, or to never try at all?" Solas shifted, resting his folded hands on his stomach. "Never trying at all is doing the wrong thing, but I understand why the city elves do not try and change their fate. They have been beaten down over and over, and have been fed frightful tales of the Dalish so that they will never leave the servitude they have been born into."

They were met with silence. It was rather peaceful, not very tense, with only the lingering question between them. Avisari finally built up the courage to ask, "and what do you think of me?"

Solas chuckled softly, a smile playing on his face. "You are a different creature entirely, Avisari." She blushed at the way her name rolled off of his tongue. She quickly averted her gaze. He kept talking. "Born in the city, though you refuse to tell me why you left. A long period in between that you haven't told anyone about, then you join the Dalish, though you certainly carry yourself differently than them." Avisari felt something tickle her foot. She kicked a bit, pulling her foot closer to her. She looked up to see Solas's gaze full of curiosity, as if he were performing an experiment. She shrugged it off, attributing it to the conversation. "A mystery indeed, a combination of both worlds, though very much something of your own making." She felt something brush against her shoulder. It was somehow familiar, but she was so focused on the conversation, she ignored the sensation of déjà vu and reached up to brush off her shoulder.

Solas tilted his head back slightly, the firelight catching his jaw. He raised an eyebrow slightly, his eyes meeting hers. Avisari's mouth felt dry, and her heart skipped a beat. His brand of attractiveness was an acquired taste, but it was one she had most certainly acquired. He brought one of his knees up and rested his arm on it, his hand extended gracefully. There was a flash in his eyes, and a slight twitch of his finger, and Avisari felt a little tickle on her ear. She reached up and smacked it, grumbling about some bug, then she froze.

Oh no.

She realized why the sensation had felt so familiar. It was no bug touching her, but an extension of Solas's aura, the sensation of one mage reaching out to another, something she had felt in the circle upon many occasions, and she had responded all three times. Solas had indeed been performing an experiment, and had gotten the desired results.

"You are an ass."

"And you are a liar."

Avisari crossed her arms, concern gnawing at her stomach. "You couldn't have just accepted the idea that I killed the dragon by conventional means?" Solas shook his head, "and destroyed my staff in the process?"

"You had a backup!"

"That isn't the point, Avisari. Why would you hide such a gift?"

Avisari scowled, huffing loudly. "It may not have much meaning now, but I was an apostate before the war. They took me from my parents because of this gift, and they tried to murder me because I could barely control it. The fate of your staff was proof enough of that." Solas sat up, sitting cross-legged and scooting closer. "A mage of no ordinary talent, then?" Avisari snorted, "you could say that."

"May I have a demonstration?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Avisari bit her lip. What should she say? Because she might blow them to bits? Because she couldn't control it? Because she had never reached the bottom of her mana pool? Because even the Templars had a hard time suppressing her?

Because he was awfully distracting, and she would never forgive herself if she hurt him?

"Because I don't want to. That isn't who I am." She finally answered, though they were both clearly dissatisfied with the response. She felt Solas's aura brushing against hers again, goading her into releasing just a bit. She rolled her eyes, turning her gaze back to his. "Can't you take no for an answer?" "Not when it isn't the answer you want to give."

"Oh," she raised her eyebrows, bringing on the attitude, "and how do you know what answer I want to give?" Solas chuckled softly, reaching out to tuck a stray curl behind her ear, his fingers brushing against her skin. "Da'len, as good as you are at keeping secrets, I promise you that I have far more experience." Her cheeks flared, but she held his gaze. "Solas, are you flirting with me?"

"And what if I am? You are an attractive woman."

Avisari pursed her lips. "Is it just to get your way, or are you actually attracted to me? Because if this is the route you'd take to-" he cut her off. "I assure you, while my curiosity plagues me, it is not the source of my advances." He brought his hand away from her face. "If you'd prefer that I didn't-" it was her turn to cut him off. "I didn't say that." She reached out and caught his hand before it could fully retreat to his side, shifting to sit on her ankles. She looked him over with an intense gaze, allowing herself to fully study the sharpness of his jaw, the beauty of his cheekbones, the gentle slope of his shoulders, and let her imagination wonder about what was beneath that loose tunic of his.

Solas's ears turned bright red under her gaze. She smirked, feeling a little reckless. "You really want to know my secrets, Solas?" She let her aura out, mingling with his, keeping it under control for the most part, but letting it out enough for him to feel the power that raged beneath the thin barrier she kept there. "Just keep them to yourself, alright?" She purred, leaning a little closer. She didn't quite expect to see a look of hunger when their eyes met once again.

* * *

Avisari had been driving Solas mad since the day that they met. At first, it was because she was foolish and reckless, but then he had realized it was her own sort of prowess. Then her stubbornness got to him, but he rather admired that trait normally. He certainly admired her skill in battle, but often found himself frustrated when she ignored her aches and wounds she sustained. Then she had gone and destroyed his favourite staff, and refused to even say how she had done it, and her attitude, it drove him insane.

Now, with her kneeling in front of him with that seductive look on her face, his hand caught in her calloused fingers, he realized that it wasn't quite her that frustrated him. Rather, it was how attractive he found her. Normally, he was attracted to more delicate and proper women, but Avisari had caught his interest by being just the opposite.

He could feel her aura embracing his, and was surprised at just how much power he could feel, even with the obvious restraint. Who was this woman? He hadn't felt such power since the veil had gone up, all those centuries ago. It mingled with his own, and he felt invigorated, and desired more of her.

Solas had never been so fascinated. "What other secrets are you keeping from me?" She flashed that cocky smile that drove him mad, drawing him in closer, teasing him with promises of an answer he knew he wouldn't get; not yet, anyway. She hooked her finger around his wolf jawbone necklace, leaning forward to whisper teasingly in his ear. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

He hadn't felt quite so wild since the days of Arlathan, and certainly not at the hands of a woman. It was a similar feeling to how battle had filled him with adrenaline, to how the thrill of the hunt consumed him, and he wanted nothing more than to pull her to him and explore every part of her.

There was a brief moment of hesitation in his mind. Solas couldn't afford distractions, not with what he had set out to do. Then she braced her free hand on his shoulder, her back arched as she kept her weight supported on her legs, and brushed her lips against his. What harm could a romp possibly do? It wasn't as if he was in love with her. Besides, he was dying to know how the firelight would look dancing across the rest of her skin.


	7. Blood

"I can't see anything in this damn rock, Solas! There's nothing here!" They had reached the mountain where the cave was supposedly hidden, and were searching along a cliff face for some runes Solas claimed would mark the entrance. "Are you certain that your impaired vision isn't hindering your search, Avisari?" Oh, that bastard. She kicked some snow at him, snickering when a lump landed on his neck and slid down his back. He stiffened, slowly looking over his shoulder to glare at her. She quickly looked very interested in the rock face.

Suddenly, she found herself buried in a magical wave of snow. She let out a screech, which was quickly muffled as the snow pushed her to the ground. Shivering, she quickly dug herself out, snow hanging in clumps from her black curls, freezing her scalp. "Solas!" He looked rather smug as he continued his search along the rocks. "Do not start fights you cannot win, da'len."

Avisari wriggled out of the snow, shaking the worst of it from her clothing. "Solas, I will toss you right off of this cliff into the snowbank at the bottom." "You will try," he commented nonchalantly, brushing some snow off of the cliff face. She growled, stomping towards him, but he held his hand up, his attention caught elsewhere. "I found them!"

Avisari perked up, delighted at the prospect of getting out of the cold. Solas put his hand to the runes, speaking words in elvish that Avisari did not understand. Her face warmed up when she was reminded of how he had murmured elvish in her ear the night before. She cleared her throat, shaking her head. Now was not the time for such idle fantasies. They had ruins to explore.

The stone parted before them, dust and rubble crumbling from the ancient hinges. The magic of the place still sang. They peered into the darkness, feeling as if something was drawing them in, like the glisten of a spider's web attracts a fly. Solas lit a flame in his hand. Avisari frowned, "I don't think that's a good idea." "Not all of us can navigate with our sense of hearing, da'len."

A low ringing emerged from the darkness, as if someone were playing a massive singing bowl. "Solas, where are we?" Avisari asked, taking a hesitant step forward. "What are we looking for?" Solas put out his flame. "This is the temple of Falon'din. Though I do not believe he was truly a god, it was true that he obtained the power to walk the world of the fade in physical form. Dirthamen eventually figured out how to follow him, but Falon'din had something Dirthamen did not. The legend is rather vague, but from my understanding, Falon'din had the power to make himself invisible to even the most powerful of demons. Just before the fall, he took a bit of this power and placed it in an artifact for a single use, though the legend does not state how to use it, or if it will work in this world. It also said something about a blood-right or a birthright, but I will admit that I am unsure of what that means. Either way, that artifact is supposed to be here, and I believe it may be useful to the Inquisition, for the study of it if nothing else. Now," he huffed, "may I be able to see?"

"Use mage lights. Call it a weird feeling, but I think fire is a bad idea." She gave him a half-smile. "Humour me?" He nodded, summoning a floating blue light to hover by his shoulder as opposed to the brighter flame. They made their way into the temple, a slight sense of dread coming over Avisari as the stone doors sealed shut behind them.

The light reflected on the gold of the floors, and the walls around them, though the ceiling was far too high. "Falon'din was very vain," Solas commented. "He started bloody wars to force the People to worship him, and was only stopped when Mythal rallied the other Evanuris to attack him, spilling his blood in these very halls. He lived, and was peaceful for a while, but a wounded pride only remains stagnant for so long."

"Did Falon'din have any children?" Avisari asked, admiring a mural on the wall depicting Falon'din in his full glory. It was stained with blood long-since dried. "I… I do not know. The thought has never occurred to me." Solas answered, a concerned look crossing his face. "The Evanuris were as mortal as you and I, so it is possible, but they also saw themselves as above such things, though they were no strangers to the pleasures of the flesh." Avisari laughed softly. "So you think they fucked, but didn't have kids? That doesn't quite fit." Solas sucked his cheeks in, as if choosing his words carefully. "I would imagine magical influence could prevent that sort of thing. I could not imagine Falon'din himself wishing to have a child. He was far too full of himself; too much of a perfectionist. What woman could possibly be good enough in his eyes to bear his child? I do not believe any of them had children, but certainly not him."

Avisari remained silent. Perhaps she was being childish, and her family was just another family of wistful elves desperate for a link to the days of glory. Still, part of her wondered. Solas didn't know everything, as much as he liked to think he did.

They passed under a golden archway, the scent of burning incense reaching them. Who could be alive down here? Avisari gulped, making her way forward. Soon, Solas's mage lights cast a shadow upon a small, withered figure kneeling before an alter to Falon'din. The hooded figure looked over its shoulder, its face hidden by darkness. "Ahn ithaan sul amahn?"* It hissed, its voice a harsh whisper, as if it was parched to the point of losing its voice.

"Din'ras,"* Solas replied. Avisari whispered, "what's it asking? What did you say?" "Hush, da'len, I'll tell you in a moment." She scowled, crossing her arms. The creature turned around, hobbling over to Solas, barely coming up to his knees. "Ra tel'din'sul ma, fen!"* It seemed upset with him. Avisari gulped. Solas asked politely, "Ehn ra sul?"* The creature made a low, guttural sound, almost like growling. "Esha'lin."* It sniffled a bit, shuddering. Solas frowned, the fine lines of his face catching in the glow of his mage lights.

"Esha'lin? I've heard that before…" Avisari tried to dredge up the memory, but it was buried deep, and fuzzy. "What does it mean?" Solas opened his mouth to answer, but stopped as the creature shuffled up to Avisari, turning its face up to her. It looked like a gnarled old woman, her face grey, her eyes twisted shut with age, with springs of white hair peeking out from under her hood. She didn't seem to be an elf, nor was she any creature Avisari had ever seen. Was she some sort of spirit?

"Sul'emas em mar da'lav, da'len." The creature held out its hand. Avisari blinked, looking to Solas, who said quietly, "give your hand." Avisari gulped and held out a shaky hand, nearly jumping when the creature's knotted fingers wrapped around it and jerked her down to where she was bending down to reach. The creature examined her hand, drawing something from the folds of its cloak. Avisari let out a cry as a needle pricked her finger without warning. "What was that for?"

The creature brought the finger to its mouth, letting the pearl of blood touch its lips. Avisari was thoroughly disturbed. "Solas, what is it doing?" Solas remained silent, enthralled. The creature let her go. "I have waited long for The Blood to return here," it spoke common. Avisari scowled, what was this thing? "A shame it has been tainted by the quick children, but you will do. Come."

Avisari was floored. "Excuse me? The fuck did you just say?" Solas gave her a look of surprise. It was quickly wiped off of his face. "We shall discuss this later, da'len. Right now, we have a task to complete. I'd advise against insulting the guide." Avisari blinked back hot tears and followed the wrinkled creature as it hobbled back to the alter, pressing its bloodied lips to the singing bowl. The alter glowed, then slid to the side, revealing a stairway beneath. The creature headed down it, beckoning for them to follow.

The dust had not been disturbed since Falon'din himself had walked there. Avisari sneezed, feeling childishly guilty for disturbing the reverent silence that settled over the place. They reached the end of the hall, where a mural depicting Falon'din and his lover, a secret from the rest of the world, decorated the wall. In the center of the room was a simple stone table with an amulet upon it. "The Blood must take the amulet. It would swallow you," she spoke to Solas. Avisari approached the table warily, leery of traps and triggers. Nothing jumped out at her as she crossed the room. She reached out and took the amulet. It felt warm to the touch.

As soon as she had taken it, the creature guiding them crumbled to dust, its last words hanging in the air. "It belongs to The Blood alone." Avisari turned back to Solas, whose expression was carefully neutral.

They left the temple with haste, feeling as though they were being watched. Avisari was horribly frightened by the place, and was delighted to feel the bite of the wind on her cheeks once more.

Solas did not speak to her for a few hours as they trekked through the snow, and she did not dare to break the silence. Was he upset? Why would he be? Had he wanted the amulet for himself? It hung around her neck, tucked beneath her layers. They made camp beneath a rocky overhang when it got close to dark, and it was as he was lighting a fire that he spoke. "You knew."

"Pardon?" She had been setting up a tent, and wasn't expecting him to speak. He kept his gaze on the smoking wood. "You knew, didn't you? That is why you asked if Falon'din had any children." Avisari shrugged, "I wasn't certain. My mother always told me we were his descendants, but for all I knew, it could have been the rambling of elves desperate for some connection to their past."

Solas got the fire blazing. "You have human blood?" He asked, not meeting her gaze. Avisari frowned, "four generations back, so not much. You got a problem with that?" A slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "No. I thought I would, but to my own surprise, it doesn't bother me at all."

Avisari was rather insulted. She huffed and turned her back to him. "Glad my filthy blood isn't an affront to Mister Holier-than-thou." Solas's chuckle infuriated her more. "It bothers you, doesn't it?" He asked. She didn't answer him, which was an answer in itself.

She felt a tickle on her ear, but she wasn't falling for it this time. She felt his aura press harder on hers, trying to get her attention. She shot a glare over her shoulder, catching the glint of amusement in his grey eyes. She went back to ignoring him.

His breath tickled her ear when he spoke again. "It's not all bad. I rather like your wide hips and strong legs." She felt like smacking him. Instead, she let out her magic a bit, using a bit of force magic to push him away. He plopped back in the snow.

It wasn't until he began roasting a nug over the fire that she began to come around. Her mouth watered and she looked over her shoulder, her stomach growling loudly. "Are you done pouting?" Solas asked, graceful and poised as always. Avisari growled and turned away again. "Supper is only for elves who aren't behaving like children."

"Fuck you."

"Come here then."

Avisari's face flushed. She grumbled and stood, shaking the snow off. She stomped over to the fire and sat on the opposite side of it, drawing a knife and cutting off a sizeable chunk of the nug. Solas was gracious enough to keep the smugness in his eyes off of the rest of his face as he ate his own supper. "You're not forgiven," Avisari grumbled around a mouthful. He looked up at her, tilting his head back, the light catching his jaw. "And what would it take for you to forgive me, da'len?"

Avisari frowned at him, her gaze darting to the side as she thought. She was feeling petty, so she came up with something impossible. "If I see an embrium flower before the morning, I'll forgive you. If not, you'll have to wait until I feel like it." Her anger had crumbled at this point, but she felt like giving him a hard time, and in all of this snow, finding an embrium flower would be impossible.

"Very well." Solas returned to his meal. Avisari smirked triumphantly.

They crawled into the tent after supper, sleeping together to conserve warmth. It was cramped, but cozy once they got comfortable. Avisari insisted on being the big spoon, at least until she fell asleep.

She dreamt of a field of embrium flowers in full bloom. A wolf watched her from the far side of the field, but she hardly noticed. She knelt down, cupping one of the blossoms in her hand, a smile spreading across her face. "Solas, you softie."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *What do you seek here?
> 
> *Fog of the Dead (the name of the artifact)
> 
> *It is not for you, Wolf!
> 
> *Who is it for?
> 
> *The Offspring


	8. Existential Crisis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I'm sorry I've been so slow with updates, life has picked up and writer's block sucks ass. That and trying to finish the final few chapters of my other story have been kicking my rear end. I love you guys! Thanks for sticking with me!

Gaelathen's frustration was clear as he paced back and forth across the cabin, his lip twitching on his otherwise undisturbed face. Avisari listened to his footsteps, absent-mindedly dragging her shortsword across a whet stone. It was already sharp, but her hands lacked anything better to keep themselves occupied with, and the sound filled the gaping silence.

"What do you think, lethalan?" Gaelathen startled Avisari, turning towards her abruptly, his eyes sharp. "Should we turn to the mages for help, or go to the Templars?" Avisari set the stone aside and sheathed the blade, wrapping it in the belt it belonged on and setting it on the table beside her. "Well," she began. "That's a complicated issue. The mages have extended an invitation, so that would be an obvious choice. However, it would be an unpopular one, and many of the nobility have offered to support our cause should we choose to pursue the Templars. As for sealing the Breach, I think either would work, despite the worries plaguing both sides."

Gaelathen frowned. "So you're not going to answer my question at all." Avisari grinned in a cheeky manner. "This is your problem, Herald of Andraste. I'm just a glorified grunt." Gaelathen let out a frustrated sigh and continued with his pacing. Avisari sucked her cheeks in, concern for her friend overwhelming her desire to stay out of the matter. "If you really want to know what I think, I think you should look into the Templars first. The mages will be fine, but from what you've told me about their behavior at Val Royeaux, something is going on with the Order. I don't like it."

Gaelathen stopped pacing, bringing his hand up to rub his chin thoughtfully. Stress was eating at him. "I think you're right," he mumbled, rubbing his face. "Something was just… off. I didn't like it at all." He nodded to himself, making up his mind. "We will just have to see to them first, and hope that we don't end up sparking more conflict with the mages. I'll let Cassandra and the Advisors know." He turned back to Avisari. "It will take time to gather the nobles. In the meantime, there are a few things that need doing. The Wardens have gone missing, except for one by the name of Blackwall, who's been located in the Hinterlands. Will you find him for me? Varric is also concerned about some Carta activity there." Avisari nodded. "Sure. What will you be doing?"

"I'll be headed to the Storm Coast. A mercenary group has an offer to make, and some of our soldiers have gone missing there. I'm going to take Cassandra and Solas to find them." Avisari frowned a bit. Gaelathen laughed softly, "sorry, you'll have to do without him this time." Avisari rolled her eyes, trying to fight back the blush creeping up her neck. She decided it was best to keep a dignified silence.

"So tell me," he sat down across from her with a gleam in his eye, "how did your little escapade into the mountains go?" Avisari snorted. "Well, it was colder than a Greater Mistral's left tit, if you must know. We went right in the middle of a sodding blizzard. I told you about the artifact already, what more do you want?" Gaelathen laughed, his fingers half covering his mouth, a shy habit of his. "You know exactly what I mean. Get any further with your little crush on our apostate friend?"

"Don't call me out like that, asshole."

"That's a yes, then?"

Avisari hid her girlish smile behind her hand and tossed the closest thing in reach at him, which happened to be a pouch of elfroot. Dried leaves went everywhere. Avisari cackled when Gaelathen started sneezing, the crumbling leaves tickling his nose.

"Elvar'nas,*" Gaelathen rubbed his nose. "How far did you get?" Avisari groaned, leaning back in her chair, "are you really gonna make me give you the details?" Gaelathen had a sly smile. "Like we've ever hidden anything of this sort from each other. When did you become so shy?" Avisari grinned, "I'm not, but I'm still going to give you a hard time about it." Gaelathen shook his head, smiling. "Alright, you tell me, and I'll tell you what happened on my trip."

Her curiosity was piqued. "Alright," she pursed her lips for a moment. "Well we certainly weren't shy. He's a lot more muscular than I would have expected. He's almost got the build of a ranger, rather than a mage. He's got those archer arms, but his back and legs, they've clearly seen a good bit of close combat.* It's rather strange." Gaelathen rested his chin on his fingers. "So you got quite far, then." "Oh yes," Avisari grinned, her cheeks flaring. "Now, tell me what happened with you."

Gaelathen smiled, his expression melting. "She let me kiss her hand. We were sitting by the fire on the way back, just talking, and she let me hold her hand and even smiled when I kissed her hand." Avisari put her hand over her mouth, "you're in love, lethalin! How precious!" He hid his face in his hands, his ears turning bright red. "How could I resist her, even if I wished to?" He let out a heavy sigh. "I just hope that it works. With everything else going on, I fear I won't have time to pursue her." Avisari gave him a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry. This can't go on forever."

Gaelathen let out a soft sigh. "You know, Avisari, I think I might convert." That came as a shock to Avisari. Gaelathen had never been a zealot about honouring the elven gods, but he was just as faithful as any other Dalish. "Why? For her? Gaelathen, you shouldn't do something like that just for-" "No," he cut her off. "Not for her, though she has influenced me." He looked conflicted. "I don't like the Shemlen Chantry, and I don't think I'll ever follow it, but the religion behind it? It makes sense. Much more sense than ours. What if…" He let out a deep sigh. "What if we're wrong, lethalan?" He ran his fingers through his hair, clearly stressed. "I don't know. There's no easy answer."

Trying to offer some comfort, Avisari said, "Solas tells me that he believes the elvhen gods existed, but that they weren't gods, merely powerful mages that elevated themselves above all the others. They were real, but they were mortal, just like us." Gaelathen pondered this for a long moment. "Perhaps he is right." He looked weary. "I will sleep on it. Such a decision, turning on everything I've ever known, it is not made lightly."

Avisari stood, going to put out the candles around the cabin. "Pray tonight. When you wake in the morning, ask yourself who you prayed to." Gaelathen remained in his chair. Once the cabin was dark, he asked, "who do you believe in, Avisari? You followed the rituals with the clan, but you don't believe like they do." Avisari settled in bed. "I think Solas is right. They existed, but they weren't gods. As for the Maker, I don't believe that either. Parents don't turn their back on their children just because they misbehave."

"Surely you must believe in something."

Avisari thought on that for a moment. "I suppose there must be something out there. Life cannot come from nothing. However, I am content not knowing. I have other things to worry about."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *mean
> 
> *just a bit of trivia: going off of the stories and depictions of Fen'Harel as both an archer (the fable of The Slow Arrow) and a warrior (various depictions in mosaics in Fen'Harel's sanctuary)


	9. Dreaming of Flowers

The horse master's wife was kind enough to let Avisari and Varric stay in an empty horse stall as opposed to outside in the cold rain for the night, so that was where they were settled, chatting by the light of a lantern hanging from a post, surrounded by the warm smell of hay and the soft sounds of the horses.

"So south into the hills into the morning," Avisari was saying, pointing at an area of their rough little map. "Perhaps on the other side of the upper lake? There's a few small farmsteads up there that have been having trouble with bandits recently. I don't know much about Grey Wardens, but that's where I would be if I was someone whose whole deal was protecting people from bad things in the Hinterlands right about now." Varric was hardly paying attention. "Sounds good, Firecracker," he said absent-mindedly as he ran a cloth along Bianca's side, wiping dust from her grooves.

Avisari folded the map, wrapping it up in leather binding to keep it dry, and put it back in her small pack. She laid back in the hay, crossing her arms behind her head. Lulled by the sound of the rain, sleep soon overtook her.

She found herself dreaming in the Fade, of course, quite clearly, as all mages did. For once, she did not dream of the great red door. Instead, she dreamt of a field of embrium flowers, and smiled at the memory of Solas bringing her such a dream after her pouting spell during their journey to the Temple of Falon'din.

She walked through the field, her fingertips brushing against the soft scarlet petals of the tall flowers. She wore a simple dress and her feet were bare, the grass cool and comforting beneath her. Her delight was soon shadowed by the knowledge that she was not alone.

"Are they your favourite?" Solas's voice reached her ears, and she turned to see him standing in the field, a gentle breeze tugging on the hem of his usual garments, but she couldn't be sure it was him. The Fade was full of tricks. Besides, he was on the Storm Coast, a week's journey away at the very least! How could he reach her dreams here?

"No," she told him, "but I do love them." He frowned slightly, "what, if I may ask, would be your favourite?" She approached him, a warm smile on her face. "Don't be upset, Solas, I like them very much." He looked down at her with those sharp grey eyes, his jaw set with stubborn determination. She let out a quiet laugh. "Tell me your favourite flower, and I'll tell you mine."

"My favourite flower," it was not the Solas in front of her who spoke, but a figure at the far edge of the field. Avisari couldn't quite see that far. He appeared to be sitting. "My favourite flower is a flower found in the Kocari wilds, with white petals and a blood orange center that smells of honey." Avisari hummed to herself, "I thought so. Solas isn't here at all." She waved her hand dismissively. "Have your fun, demons; you'll get nothing from me."

"I want nothing from you," the distant Solas claimed. "I simply came when I realized your dream was under siege by an intruder wearing my face." Avisari crossed her arms, sticking her hip out as she leaned on one leg. "Let me guess, desire demons? Begone! Leave me in peace."

The distant Solas approached, facing the one standing next to Avisari. They were perfect copies of each other. Rivals, perhaps? Such things were not uncommon amongst demons. Sure enough, the first Solas began to warp until it revealed itself as a desire demon, the purple, lewd creature with a deep scowl. "You insolent fool!" It was clearly upset at being interrupted. The other Solas didn't change shape, but Avisari still suspected it was a demon.

The desire demon vanished, screaming in rage at being thwarted. Solas turned to Avisari, who raised an eyebrow. "So now what? Going to offer me something?" Solas shook his head, an amused smile on his face. "Walking in your dream from so far away is exhausting. You could at least be nice." "To a demon? Not likely."

He took her hand, lifting her fingers to his lips and kissing them softly. "So ungrateful. I'm not a demon, da'len." She huffed, fighting back a blush. "Prove it." He put his other arm around her waist and pulled her close, murmuring in her ear, "would a demon know where you like to be kissed?" She let out a giddy laugh and rested her forehead on his shoulder. "Oh, you're  _definitely_  a demon. Trying to seduce me? Classic." "Is it working?" "It would be working if you weren't a demon. I'm not too fond of the idea of becoming an abomination today, thanks." She pushed him away. "I have to ask, is that really his favourite flower? Or were you just making something up?"

"Why don't you bring me one when we're awake and find out, hmm?" He smiled at her warmly. "You never did tell me yours." She mocked his tone, "why don't you come ask me when we're awake, hmm?" He stuck his tongue out at her. She was certain this was not Solas. It was hardly like him. She did, however, make a note to ask him what his favourite flower was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I know what you're thinking. Come on, dragonstep, we're here for the smut, get on with it already! Alright you heathens, consider this your warning for the next chapter.


	10. Euphoria

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This is a smut chapter.

Blackwall was a pleasant enough fellow, but there was definitely something off about him. Still, he was eager to join the Inquisition and help find the other Grey Wardens, and was certainly useful when they invaded Valammar and found themselves faced with not only carta members, but darkspawn as well. Fortunately, a lucky shot from Varric caused a rockslide that sealed the hole they were crawling out of, so Avisari didn't have to use any magic. She never wanted to see a darkspawn again. They were truly monstrous. She preferred demons.

After that, they parted ways. Avisari made the excuse of needing to check out some old ruins for Gaelathen, but she had something else in mind. She didn't want to lie to Varric, but she couldn't just tell him that she was going flower picking. The very thought was silly to her. Varric would never let her forget it!

She headed south. The Hinterlands wasn't far from the Kocari wilds, no more than a day's journey. She could hardly believe herself, going so far out of her way to pick flowers for some boy like a child. She didn't even know for certain that it was really his favourite flower. She grumbled to herself as she passed through the ruins of Ostagar, getting chills as she heard the echoes of the atrocities that had been committed there. She did not linger long.

The wilds were nothing short of creepy. She rubbed her arms to stave off the chill as she passed through, trying not to jump at every rustling of the bushes. Finally, she found what she was looking for. A flower with white petals and an orange center was growing from a mossy log at the edge of the swamps. She plucked it, along with a few others beside it. That done, she was quick to leave the wilds, left with the feeling that something was watching her go.

Two days later, she was back in Haven. It was dark when she returned. Fortunately, she had magic to help her keep the flowers in prime condition. She hid them under her coat as she walked through, making her way straight to Solas's cabin. She hoped he was there. She didn't want to be caught with the flowers. It wasn't that she was ashamed, she just didn't want to explain where she had gotten them or why she had them.

Fortunately he was. She could see candlelight behind the curtains obscuring the window. She knocked on his door timidly, suddenly overwhelmed with a wave of anxiety. It was too late to turn back. He opened the door, then smiled when he saw her. "You've returned," he stated. "Come in, you look cold." He stepped aside and welcomed her. She stepped inside, knocking the snow off of her boots. The cold in her feet had nothing to do with the snow.

"Are you alright?" He asked, raising his eyebrow slightly. She felt like a fool. Since when had men made her nervous? It was supposed to be the other way around! She gulped, averting her gaze. "I brought you something." Her voice was much less confident than she would have liked. "Oh?" He looked curious.

She produced the small bouquet from the folds of her coat, fluffing the petals a bit. The smell of honey wafted from them. She blushed darkly, thrusting them in his direction. He seemed surprised.

He took them, his long fingers brushing hers. He brought them to his nose, taking a deep breath, inhaling their scent. "This would explain where you've been," he murmured. "The Herald was worried about you." He went to his desk, pouring some water into a cup and placing the flowers in it. He returned to her, taking her hand in his. "Look at me, Avisari."

She brought her gaze up, her cheeks blazing. She felt uncomfortably hot. He was smiling, his steely grey eyes filled with gentleness. "Thank you," he said softly as he brought her hand to his lips, kissing her fingers. "I love them." His sweetness only made her blush more. She felt that she would either have to take off her heavy coat or risk overheating.

"Was it you?" She blurted out, then put her hand over her mouth, though she couldn't stop the words that were already said. He looked startled. "Was what me?" "I…" She looked to the side, squeezing his hand slightly. "I had a dream about you. I thought it might have been a demon, but you said that was your favourite flower."

Solas laughed softly. She wanted to shrink away into nothing. His other hand came up to rest on her cheek, cool on her burning face. "I was concerned about demons pressing against the veil, with all of the bad things happening in the Hinterlands, but from so far away I could not help. I asked one of my friends to check on you. I did not expect the spirit to take my form, though I suppose I am not surprised, for it was a spirit of longing." He gently pulled her closer, letting go of her hand and resting his hand on her hip. "Have you been missing me, da'len?"

"Yes."

"They are my favourite flower." He rubbed his thumb along her cheekbone. "But you are far more beautiful." She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. "You're mean to me, Solas." He laughed again, "I'm complimenting you, Avisari, how is that mean?" She stomped her foot, like a small tantrum. "You can see how embarrassed I am, and you continue to tease me!" He chuckled softly, leaning closer. "I'll stop teasing you then." He kissed her softly, his hand on her waist pulling her closer to him. She threw her arms around his neck, showing no such niceties. She nipped at his bottom lip, pressing her body to his as much as she could. He growled softly, and she could feel his arm stiffen around her.

His hands moved from her body to the clasps of her coat, and she dropped her arms to wriggle out of it. He broke the kiss, and as meticulous as ever, took a moment to hang it on the hook by the door. Avisari practically snarled at him, "hurry up." His steely eyes flashed and he was on her in an instant, growling in her ear, "apparently we need to learn a lesson about patience." It made her knees weak, but she wasn't going to give in so easily.

He gave her a push, pinning her against the cabin door. He flipped the latch, locking it securely, then took hold of her wrists, pinning them above her head and capturing her lips in a heated kiss. She rolled her hips into his, her tongue darting out to brush against his lip. He shoved his tongue into her mouth, holding her wrists in place with one hand while the other slid under her shirt, his fingers dancing along her skin. She let out a soft sound against his mouth, feeling very needy in that moment.

He broke the kiss, taking a moment to breathe. He smirked, the candlelight catching his eye. "You are just  _delicious_ , you know that?" Oh, she melted on the spot. "Solas,  _please_." He let go of her wrists, biting down on her shoulder as she draped her arms around his neck. He pulled her shirt off of her, tossing it aside, his hands wandering her torso. "You're going to have to be quiet, Avisari, this isn't some cave in the middle of a blizzard where you can scream all you like," his voice was absolutely sinful. He left a trail of kisses up her neck and nipped at her earlobe. She let out a shaky breath, her fists balling up the back of his tunic. "Take it off, Solas," she growled.

"Say please."

"I said," she gave him a push, her back leaving the door for just a moment, "take it off," she snarled, her eyes heated. He growled and put his hand on her throat, his other on her chest, and pushed her back against the door. He didn't hurt her, he was much too careful, but after their first night, he knew what she liked, and she certainly liked that. "I said,  _say please_. We have manners here, da'len."

She bit her lip, tugging at the hem of his tunic. "Please?" He smirked triumphantly and released her. "Take it off of me." She pulled it over his head slowly, taking time to admire his delightfully fit torso. She tossed the garment aside and ran her hands over his chest, his shoulders, pulling him closer, using her body to push him backwards, further into the cabin. He let her, watching her with those intense stormy grey eyes, half-lidded and ablaze with lust.

She stopped just short of his bed and unlaced his trousers, letting them fall to the ground. He stepped out of them. She gave him a slight push and he sat on his bed, gazing up at her expectantly. She kicked off her own trousers, then took hold of his hands, putting them on her own hips. She swayed her hips side to side, doing a little dance for him. He leaned forward and bit down just above her hip bone, earning a soft cry from her. She dragged her nails over his shoulders as he sucked on her skin, leaving a dark purple mark there.

He scooted back on the bed until his back was against the wall. "Come here," he ordered her, and she obliged, crawling over him and straddling his waist. He wrapped one arm around her, pulling her hips close to his chest where he could bite and kiss at her breasts. The other hand went down between her legs, one finger rubbing circles around her heat. She leaned her head back, gripping his shoulders, "Solas!" "Hush," he growled, "I told you, you're going to have to be quiet this time." She bit her lip, whimpering softly. He slowly pushed one finger into her, looking up to watch her expression. She put a hand over her mouth and moaned into it, rolling her hips into his hand.

He moved his finger inside of her, curling and extending it, until she was trembling, then he added a second. Her muffled whimpers filled the quiet room, her nails digging into his shoulder. "Avisari," he purred, planting a few kisses on the underside of her breast. "Juveran na su tarasyl.*"

That pushed her over the edge. She arched her back, crying out his name into her hand, her body shaking as she came on his fingers. She slumped forward, bracing her arm against the wall, breathing heavily. "Solas," she looked down at him, biting her lip, quivering when she saw the lust in his eyes. She didn't waste any time and slid down onto him, pleased with herself when she heard the moan escaping from his lips. She cupped his face in her hands, rising up and falling in a steady rhythm, and murmured, "Jupalan ma sule banalan in'em, ma tel'rosa'da'din'el.*" He grasped her hips, pulling her down hard onto him, earning a pleasured cry, and growled, "ane vhallas esaya.*"

She rode him, picking up the pace, scratching at his shoulders and his chest, doing her best to keep her voice quiet as she moaned his name over and over. His expression was sinfully delicious, his head leaned back, sweat dripping down his face, his jaw clenched, his eyes half shut, his perfect lips parted as he moaned out her name. "Avisari," he murmured, his eyes meeting hers. "Oh, Solas," she groaned, pressing her forehead to his. He reached up and tangled a hand in her hair, pulling it back, leaning forward and biting her collarbone. He wrapped his other arm around her waist, and in a fluid movement, she was on her back, and he was on top of her, his arm holding her hips up. She wrapped her legs around him and he fucked her ruthlessly. She clawed at his back, unable to stop herself from crying out. His hand released her hair and covered her mouth instead, and he buried his face in the crook of her neck, muffling his moans.

She cried out his name against his palm and came without warning, gasping as her end shook her body. He groaned when she tightened around him, biting down on her shoulder and finishing as well, unable to hold himself back any longer. He pressed the length of his torso against hers, and she held him close, trembling as the euphoria faded. He moved his hand from her mouth, tucking his arm under her neck, letting his weight rest on her for a moment. For that moment, she felt an odd sensation. She felt… cradled, almost as if she was swaddled and hidden away from the world, almost as if she was very precious to him.

Then he rolled off of her, and the sensation was gone.

She took a moment to catch her breath, then grinned at him. He had a lazy smile on his face, his eyes mostly closed, one knee raised, his hands on his stomach, just breathing. "That was fun," she commented, rolling on her side. She made a face at the messy feeling that inevitably followed sex. He laughed at her light-heartedly, "would you like something to clean up with?" "Yes please."

He got up and went to get her a towel. She couldn't help but to admire his rear. It was adorable, and bounced when he walked.

After cleaning up, he handed her her clothes. Disappointed, but not surprised, she dressed. He did always like his privacy. He must have seen the look on her face, because he caught her hand before she left. "Don't look so upset, Avisari," he kissed her fingers. "I just need some time to think."

Well, what the fuck was that supposed to mean? Still, it made her feel better, and she walked away with a smile, not to mention the euphoria and weak-kneed wobble that followed a good romp in the bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I will take you to the heavens.
> 
> *I will fuck you until you empty yourself inside of me and can't orgasm any longer.
> 
> *You are welcome to try.


	11. Barriers

It was supposed to be easy, appeal to the Lord Seeker with the support of the nobility. Simple.

Everything was going wrong.

The maddening song was everywhere; it twisted their bodies, it drowned their minds; their screams turned to roars and their prayers to nightmares. The Red Templars swarmed like hornets, pouring into the great hall from all possible entrances, and it was all the survivors could do to hold them back.

Fortunately, Gaelathen had thwarted the envy demon’s attempts to take his form, but as they say, out of the frying pan and into the fire. They battled in the Great Hall, shouting over the noise, trying to work with the surviving Templars whom hadn’t been given red lyrium to figure out how to break through the demon’s barrier.

“We have to find the veteran Templars!” Gaelathen rolled away from a spew of red lyrium, towards Avisari. Cassandra and Blackwall formed a line with the Templars while Solas provided them with support. It was wearing on the elven apostate, the Templars’ constant suppression in their efforts to combat the corrupted Templars, but with their backs to him, he was able to fight. She knew how he felt, though. It was wearing on her, too. At least she wasn’t using her magic. It simply felt as if she were fighting after swimming in sand.

Avisari stepped in front of Gaelathen, knocking aside a blow from a Red Templar and driving her blade through its throat. “Most of the resistance is here! We’ll have to come back to help every chance we get! They’ll never hold it on their own!”  Gaelathen fired a few arrows past her shoulder, into the face of another of the monstrous things. Their song, it was familiar. It was sickening. Avisari wanted to get away from them. “Avisari,” Gaelathen pressed his shoulder to hers, a gesture of companionship. “I need you to stay here and help them. I’ll take the other three with me to find the veterans and the clean lyrium supply, and we shall return when we can, but you’re right. They’ll never hold it alone.”

Avisari’s stomach dropped. She was to be trapped with these creatures? “As you wish,” she gulped. “Lethalan,” Gaelathen fired another arrow. “Defend these men with your life. They have lost everything. We are their only hope now.” Avisari nodded grimly and patted his back. “Dareth shiral.* May Fen’harel never hear your footsteps.”

Gaelathen flashed her an encouraging smile before shouting to the others and heading for a side door to the hall. Solas looked to her, and a strange look crossed his face when she did not follow them. He looked like a child whom had to leave something dear. Avisari flashed him a smile.

She had no intention of dying here.

She turned to face the great doors. They were barred, but they wouldn’t hold forever. She turned to the windows, where more of the twisted wretches clawed their way in. If it came down to it, she would use her magic. It would be no good hidden if she wound up dead. Besides, everyone was an apostate now. It wasn’t as bad as it used to be.

They just kept coming. Avisari fought with all of her might, but it seemed that for every Red Templar she cut down, for every demon she demolished, two more sprang up in its place. Ser Barris and the other Templars fought with her, and even saved her a few times. In turn, she had their backs. Though they had settled into a good rhythm, exhaustion was beginning to plague them all.

Then, one of the Lieutenants burst in with a thunderous battle cry and charged into the fray. The Templars looked up, hope in their eyes. Gaelathen and the others followed close behind, and they quickly cleared the hall, at least for a moment. Avisari leaned against a pillar, allowing herself a quick breath. She was drenched in sweat and blood. The blood burned, corrupted with red lyrium, but she had no time to wipe it off. Gaelathen had to head out again, and more of the horrors were coming.

The pounding on the main doors became louder, heavier, methodical thumps. Suddenly, a hole was punched through the door, and a massive twisted red lyrium _thing_ yanked what once was a hand out of it, ready to swing back again. “The doors won’t hold!” Ser Barris shouted. “Templars, be ready!” Another swing, and the behemoth sent the door ajar, having broken the beam across the door.

“Stop your draining!” Avisari called out, sheathing her weapons and running for the door. She put her hands on either one, the red lyrium making her head spin. “Stop! Stop your suppression!” Her voice cracked with desperation. She could see the behemoth reeling back for a blow that would surely kill her if she didn’t get a barrier up in time.

“Do as she says!” The veteran Lieutenant shouted, and Avisari felt their pull at her mana release. She let it out, and up went a strong magical barrier, barring the doors once again, just as the behemoth swung. She felt the jolt of the impact course through her, earning a grunt, but the barrier held.

Without the Templars’ suppression, however, the demons they fought were stronger. Avisari could feel trickles of mana being pulled from her as they used their power in moments of desperation, but thankfully they kept it to a minimum. Beyond that, she barely knew what was happening. Again and again, the behemoth battered against her barrier, and the thing was massive, twisted and torn apart by red lyrium sprouting from it. Without a staff, or any sort of focus, it took everything Avisari had to hold the barrier. The red lyrium sang to her, plaguing her mind, and she was vaguely aware of a slight dripping of blood from her nose hitting her boot.

The noise of fighting died down behind her. She was aware of people talking in hurried tones. “ _Maker,_ is she-“

“You found the lyrium! We’ll bring down the barrier. Here, give one to your mage. She won’t hold much longer without it, and I’m not too keen on fighting what she’s keeping out.”

“Herald, why didn’t you tell me?”

“It wasn’t my place. We have more important things to worry about, Cassandra. More will be coming through. Be ready to fight.”

A gentle hand lifted her chin, and a familiar voice reached her ears. “Lethalan,” Gaelathen urged her. “Drink.” Cool glass touched her lips, and the tang of her own blood mingled with the wet-stone taste of lyrium as it washed over her tongue. It had a cold-burning sensation as it went down her throat. She finished the small bottle, and the sweet song of clean lyrium drowned out the maddening hymn of the tainted red lyrium, if only for a moment. She turned her gaze to Gaelathen. “You knew?” He smiled at her, his hand on her shoulder. “Of course I knew. You just weren’t ready to tell me, so I didn’t bring it up. When we go to fight the envy demon, will you be able to hold this barrier until we return? It may take a while.” Avisari nodded. “With the lyrium? Yes. Give me a staff, I could probably clear these bastards out.”

Gaelathen smiled. “This is a Templar fortress, but I’ll see what I can do. For now, just hold the barrier. We’ll fight what gets in on the sides.” She nodded, and he left her, turning back to the others. “Defend the Templars!”

With the lyrium in her system, Avisari was able to expand her barrier to the whole front wall, keeping the red horrors from climbing in the windows as well. They still came from the sides, but the others were able to hold off those bastards.

After what seemed like ages, the Templars broke down the barrier. Gaelathen raced after the envy demon, Cassandra hot on his heels. Blackwall and Solas quickly followed after a moment. Avisari stayed behind, holding her barrier.

“There must be other survivors,” Ser Barris came up to her. “The other mage, Solas, said you would be able to defeat that thing if we found you a staff. We don’t have anything particularly powerful, but we have an apprentice’s staff. Will that do?” He had one in his hand. Avisari nodded. “It will have to. It’s better than nothing. Stand back, this thing won’t go down easy.”

The Templars formed a shield wall farther back, and Avisari dropped the barrier. Staff in hand, she released a barrage of lightning upon the behemoth, fueled by its roars. It stumbled forward. She sent out one final wave of force to blast it back, and it fell, crumbling into dust. She stepped out into the courtyard. It was time to clear this place of the Red Templars.

Avisari passed through, raining fire and lightning down upon anything that sang with the red lyrium. When she was finished clearing out the fortress, she headed back for the Great Hall, the rush of adrenaline from the lyrium fading. Only then did she wipe the blood from her nose on her sleeve. The rest of the tainted blood covering her still burned her skin, but she would need a full bath for that. It would have to wait.

Right now, she had some explaining to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Safe Journey


	12. Author's Note

I know I havent updated in a long time, I'm sorry! I promise I haven't abandoned this story. Work has just been taking over my life, and I'm planning a big move soon, and I haven't had a whole lot of time to myself. I'll get back to it soon, I promise. Thanks for all the support!


	13. The Truth

Avisari leaned on the stone arch of the doorway, her limbs shaking as she forced herself to remain standing. She squinted against the light beyond, where Gaelathen stood, proclaiming the surviving Templars to be allies and offering them the chance to rebuild. Her legs felt like jelly beneath her. She didn't dare take another step, lest she collapse in front of all of them. Her mana was drained, she was drenched in blood, and she was wounded. The wounds weren't major, just cuts and scrapes, but it all added up, and they stung with the corrupted blood covering her.

"Lethallan." Gaelathen approached her, worry clear on his face. "Are you alright?" "Just fuckin dandy," she grimaced, forcing a sarcastic smile. He laughed softly. "It is alright to sit if you like." "Right in the doorway? As if I haven't drawn enough attention to myself." Avisari grumbled, taking in a few sharp breaths.

"You couldn't hide it forever." Solas's voice reached her ears. The apostate tucked an arm under hers and let her lean on him. She held onto his shoulder and took a few shaky steps forward, settling on a stone bench in the warmth of the sun. She rested her head on his shoulder, letting out a heavy sigh as he let his aura wash over hers, healing some of her minor wounds, drawing away some of the corruption of the red lyrium. She would be safe from its effects; she hadn't been exposed to enough of it to have any long-lasting corruption, but it still stung like a bitch.

A shadow blocking the sun caused her to open her eyes. Blackwall stood in front of her, looking almost proud. "The Templars are calling you a hero, you know." He stated. Avisari snorted, "Templars calling a mage a hero? You're pulling my leg." Blackwall's moustache twitched as he smiled. "I'm serious. You gave everything you had to defend them, and they respect that." Avisari closed her eyes again. "Good for them."

"Why'd you hide it?" Blackwall asked the dreaded question. Avisari had expected it to come from Cassandra, or even Gaelathen. She felt Solas squeeze her shoulder gently. She frowned a bit. "Take a wild fuckin guess, bud. I'm not too fond of the idea of being shoved in a circle and waiting until they decide I'm too dangerous to be allowed to live." She opened her eyes to see Blackwall crossing his arms. "That all ended with the rebellion, didn't it? Why'd you hide it from us?"

That was a question she hadn't expected.

She shrugged, lifting her head from Solas's shoulder. "I don't know. I suppose I had gotten so used to hiding it, I just didn't want to say, oh, hey, by the way guys, I'm an apostate. I've been lying for years. I used a tragedy born of a coup to escape a death sentence and I've been lying to everyone I know ever since." Her voice caught in her throat and she fought back the emotion welling up.

"You're from Starkhaven." Blackwall stated. Avisari nodded. "Born in an alienage," she added. "You ran when the circle burned." Avisari nodded. "Then what?" Avisari scowled and snarled, "what, you think I'm just going to tell you my whole life's story now?" Blackwall raised an eyebrow, and she felt very small.

"That's enough, Blackwall." Solas interceded. "Avisari is exhausted as it is. We can discuss this at another time." Avisari looked down at her lap. She heard a sigh from Blackwall, "I apologize, I don't want you to think I'm judging you for running. Trust me, I understand. But you can't run forever." Avisari smiled a bit. "No, but I can try, can't I?"

* * *

They returned to Haven after ensuring the safety of the remaining Templars. It was time to seal the Breach. There was roughly a week of relative peace while waiting for the veteran Templars to arrive, where Haven was alight with hope. Avisari spent much of that time either alone or with Gaelathen. She felt like she owed it to him to be completely open with him about everything, so she told him her story, from start to finish. She also wanted to spend time with him in case he didn't survive the closing of the Breach. She didn't want to think about it that way, but it was in the back of her mind.

Word of their actions at Therinfal Redoubt got out quickly of course, as did word about her abilities. She expected people to be upset, and many were. Some were even frightened. But some treated her with the same reverence they treated Cassandra, or even Gaelathen. Sera pulled her into the tavern one night, into a crowd of soldiers who were delighted to see her, who bought her drinks, men and women whom had family and friends in the Templar Order. "The Wall of Therinfal," they were calling her. A strange title, but it made her smile.

She tried to enjoy the good time while it lasted, but she couldn't shake the dread that hounded her thoughts. It wasn't over yet.


End file.
